Banding machine



Dec. 1, 1936. PETERS BANDING MACHINE Filed April l, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet1 61 j ienr 1936- R. PETERS BANDING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 1, 1936 I ammo Ralph Peters, Clarksburg,Va., assignor to. Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, Wheeling, W. Via, acorporation of West Virginia Application April 1, 1933;.Serlal No.14,156 1 9 Claims. (01. 91-12) Theinvention relates to the painting ofbands on ceramic ware, particularly such articles as saucers, plates,bowlsand the like; and one of the objects of the invention is to providea simple and inexpensive device which will eflicientlyapply the paintbands automatically, thus avoiding the hand painting of such articles.

In the painting of saucers, plates, bowls and similar articles differentproblems are involved than are presented in the painting of tumblers'andsimilar articles. Saucers, plates, etc., usually have a fiat orsubstantially fiat central portion,

and an upwardly curved or upwardly inclined peripheral portion. Whilethe present invention is in no manner limited to the paintingof bands onsuch peripheral portions, yet the invention is particularly well adaptedfor such work. In painting bands on these peripheral portions it isimportant that the paint roller contact with the surface at a particularangle with respect thereto, and one of the objects of the invention isto provide a. machine in which the roller will contact the ware at theproper angle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism by which theangle of contact can be varied to suit the various peripheral shapes ofdifferent articles; and which can .also be adjusted to suit ware ofdifferent sizes, with or without varying the angle of contact.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the paintroller will be resiliently maintained against the surface of the articleduring the painting operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means forautomatically disposing of the articles after they have been banded.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art, from the following description when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings,

310 in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the apparatus. Figure 2 is afragmentary plan view showing the paint roller in contact with thearticle being banded; and

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the roller removed from the article.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, and particularly to Figure 1,numeral l refers to a table or other suitable support for the apparatus.Numeral 2 indicates a chuck to receive the saucer, plate, bowl or otherarticle to be banded. The chuck is in communication with any desiredsource of vacuum (not shown) by means of a pipe 3. The article to bedecorated is placed in the chuck by hand and is maintained there by thevacuum during the banding operation. The vacuum is preferably brokenbefore the article is removed, and for this purpose a valve-'4 isprovided in the vacuum line 3. Of course the valve can be operated byhand, but I preferably provide a foot treadle 5 connected with the valveby means of a chain 6 or the like. When the foot treadle is depressedthe valve will be operated to break the vacuum, and-when the foot islifted a spring I will operate the valve in the opposite direction tothrow the chuck into communication with the source of vacuum.

Numeral 8 refers to a motor which drives a friction disc 9. A verticalshaft Ill carries a fric- 1 tion disc II which is in engagement with thefriction disc 9, whereby the shaft is continuously rotated. Thisvertical shaft 10 continuously rotates the chuck 2, by means of bevelgears (not shown). In applying bands of paint to articles m the speed ofrotation of the article is important, and different speeds are desirablefor articles of different sizes and for different conditions of paint.In order to obtain the most desirable speed in any particular operation,the friction 25 disc I I is adjustably mounted on the shaft It by anydesired means, as by set screw H. To take care of wear between thefriction discs, the disc 9 is adjustably mounted on the motor shaft andmay be adjusted toward the disc II by lock nuts 9. r

Numeral l2 refers to an oscillatable frame mounted between brackets l3.This frame consists of two spaced arms l4, l4, united by tie rods l5. Itwill be noted that the frame is pivotally mounted at its forward end,and that the arms have downwardly and rearwardly extending portions ISin which is adjustably mounted a rod II. On this rod I1 is 'mounted theapparatus carrying the paint roller, paint reservoir, etc., but thepreferred means for oscillating the frame I! will be described beforedescribing .the apparatus carried by the frame.

Numeral l9 refers to a friction disc which is in engagement with thepreviously described 45 friction disc 9. The disc l8 drives a shaft l9,

, which through a gear box 20 causes the continuous rotation of a splitcam 2| To take care of wear between friction discs l8 and 9, the shaftl9 and its disc l8 may be adjusted toward the 50 disc 9 by means of anadjusting screw 22; it being merely necessary to first loosen screws 23arranged in appropriate slots in the base of the gear box 29. To varythe speed of rotation of the split cam 2|, and thus vary the number of55 !tact with the cam 2| by means of a coil spring 28 arranged on theconnecting rod between an end of the frame and a collar 29 adjustablymounted on the connecting rod.

The continuously revolving cam 2| causes the connecting rod 26 to beraised and lowered, thereby rocking the frame l2 and moving the paintroller into and out of contact with the article to be decorated, in amanner which will be described.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the paint applying apparatus is mounted onthe rod l1 carried by the rocking frame l2. This frame is pivoted at itsforward end, and in the embodiment illustrated the rod I1 is positionedin the frame below and rearwardly of the frame pivot. Hence when therear end of the frame is rocked downwardly the rod l1 and parts mountedthereon will be moved forwardly, and when the frame is rocked upwardly,the rod I1 and parts mounted thereon will be moved rearwardly. Theposition of the rod I! in the frame I 2 may be adjusted forward orbackward in the slot 11, and the vertical position of the rod may bevaried by mounting it in either of the slots l1. Of course any otherdesired means may be employed for adjusting the position of the rodeither vertically or horizontally.

Numeral 30 refers to a bracket which is mounted on and projectsforwardly from the rod I'I. Any preferred means may be employed formounting the bracket on the rod, but I preferably employ a set screw 3|which permits adjustment of the bracket along the rod, and which alsomaintains the bracket in any desired plane; so that the bracket may beadjusted about the rod as a pivot or may be adjusted along the rod.

Numeral 32 indicates a vertically extending rod which projects.downwardly from the bracket 30, and which has its upper portion swiveledtherein. The upper reduced portion of the rod is provided with alaterally extending finger 33, to which is attached one end of a coilspring 34; the other end of the spring being attached to the bracket 30.Thus the spring tends to turn the rod 32 about its own axis.

Clamped to the lower end of the rod 32 is a sleeve member 35, in whichis telescopically mounted one end of a bent rod 36; the rod beingrotatably and longitudinally adjustable in the sleeve by means of a setscrew 35'. On the other end of the bent rod is mounted a sleeve member31, which may be adjusted rotatably and longitudinally of the rod bymeans of a set screw 31; and the free end of the member 31 is forked toreceive the paint roller 38. A wiper 38 cooperates with the paintroller, and the position of the wiper with respect to the roller may beadjusted by a-bolt 38". While I have described the pivotally mounted armwhich carries the paint roller in considerable detail, yet it will beunderstood, of course, that the invention is in no -manner limited tothe particular structure illustrated and described, for it will beapparent that the paint carrying arm can be of any structure which willcause the roller to contact with the curved or inclined peripheralportion of the saucer or other article, at the proper angle, when thearm is swung about its pivot.

The paint reservoir, referred to by numeral 39, has a forwardlyextending portion 38' in which the paint roller revolves. The saucer Aor other article to be decorated, is rotated by the chuck 2, and thepaint roller 38 is rotated by frictional contact with the article. Ofcourse the roller rotates through the paint in the reservoir and appliesit to the article to be banded. The reservoir is movable with the rollercarrying arm, and is preferably removably attached to the arm by meansof brackets 40 and 4|.

Also carried by the roller carrying arm is a guide rail 42, which hasthe required curvature or angularity, and this guide rail cooperateswith an abutment 44. This guide rail and cooperating abutment cause thepaint roller to be moved toward and from the article to be decorated, inthe particularpath desired, as will be described more fully hereinafter.The abutment is preferably adjustable in any direction, as by means of aslot and screw connection 45.

After the article has been decorated, and has been released from thechuck by breaking the vacuum, it drops into a trough 46, down which itrolls by gravity to any desired point of disposal. The trough is soshaped that as the banded article rolls downward only the edge and backof the article touches the trough, as illustrated in dotted lines inFigure 1.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described briefly. In thespecific form illustrated the chuck 2 is continuously rotated; the speedbeing regulated by the adjustment of the disc I I. And the frame I2 iscontinuously rocked by means of the continuously revolving cam 2|; thenumber of revolutions of the cam per minute being regulated by theadjustment of the disc l8. In Fig. 1 the roller is on the low part ofthe cam and hence the frame is in its low position with the paint rollerin contact with the article. For the purpose of this description let itbe assumed that the roller is on the opposite side of the cam, so thatthe frame I2 is in its upper position and the paint roller 38 removedfrom the article, as shown in Figure 3. By particular reference to thisfigure, it will be noted that the oscillatable painting arm is held inits inoperative position by the guide rail 42 contacting with theabutment 44. When the paint applying mechanism moves forward, by reasonof the downward rocking of the frame l2, the guide fall remains incontact with the abutment, but the 'rail is so shaped as to .permit thepainting arm to turn, under the influence of spring 34, about its pivot,so that the paint roller 38 approaches the inclined or curved peripheralportion of the article to be decorated, at the particular anglerequired, as illustrated in Figure 2. That is important in the bandingof articles of this type, and the angle of approach can be varied tosuit different articles, by adjusting the abutment 44 in any direction,or by changing the contour of the guide rail, or by such adjustments incombination with any of the various other adjustments heretoforementioned. Also the position of the paint roller can be adjusted towardor away from the'edge of the article, and of course for articles oflarger or smaller diameter the rod IT can be adjusted backward orforward in the rocking frame.

The cam 2| has rotated far enough to bring the paint roller into contactwith the article at the proper angle with respect thereto, but forvarious reasons such as irregularities in the article, it is desirablethat the roller be resiliently held in contact with the article. Theroller being in contact with the article it is obvious that a 'veryslight further forward movement of the parts carries the guide rail 42out of contact with the abutment 44, as clearly shown in Figure 2. Thepaint roller is now resiliently held against the article by the spring34, so that good contact between the roller and article is assured, andthe roller is free to follow any irregularities in the article. Ofcourse the article A which is to be banded, and which is held in thechuck 2 by vacuum, is being rotated continuously, and the rotation ofthe article causes the paint roller to be rotated, thereby applying aband of paint to the article. As previously mentioned the lower portionof the roller travels in the paint in the reservoir 39; the reservoirbeing mounted on and movable with the painting arm.

When the paint roller 38 is in contact with the article to be banded,the roller 25 is in about the position on the cam 2| as shown inFigure 1. The duration of time the paint roller is in contact with thearticle can be varied by adjusting the split cam, as by means of bolts21'.

The continued rotation of the cam causes. the.

roller 25 to travel up the gradually inclined portion of the cam,thereby gradually drawing the paint roller 38 away from the bandedarticle, to the position shown in Figure 3. The vacuum is now broken bythe operation of the foot treadle 5, or by any other desired means, andthe decorated article drops into the gravity trough 46, down which itrolls to any desired point of disposal; and while rolling down thistrough the saucer, plate, bowl or other similar article is supported inthe manner illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 1, so that the freshlyapplied band of paint is protected.

While I have described in detail the particular mechanism illustrated,yet it is apparent that many changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit of the 'invention, and all suchchanges and modifications are intended to be included within the scopeof the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for painting bands on saucers, bowls, plates and similararticles, including a pivotally mounted arm, a paint roller carried bythe arm, means for advancing the arm and roller toward the article, anda guiding means for changing the direction of travel of the arm androller during their approach, whereby the roller approaches the articleat the desired angle.

2. An apparatus for painting bands on saucers, bowls, plates and similararticles, including a pivotally mounted arm, a paint roller carried bythe arm, means for advancing the arm and roller toward the article, aguiding means for changing the direction of travel of the arm and rollerduring their approach, whereby the roller approaches the article at thedesired angle, and means for adjusting the guiding means to vary thepath of approach.

trough arranged below .clined position, 'uum to drop the banded 3. Anapparatus for painting bands on saucers, bowls, plates and similararticles, including pivotally mounted arm, a paint roller carried by thearm, a guide member for guiding the arm and roller through an indirectpath into contact with the article at the desired angle, means forreleasing the roller carrying arm from the guiding means, and means forresiliently maintaining the roller in contact with the article.

4. An apparatus for painting bands on saucers, bowls, plates and similararticles, including a pivotally mounted arm, a paint roller carried bythe arm, means for advancing the arm and roller toward the article, aguide rail mounted on the arm, and a stationary abutment with which theguide rail cooperates to direct the roller through a predetermined pathinto contact with the article at the desired angle.

5. An apparatus for painting bands on saucers, bowls, plates and similararticles, including a pivotally mounted arm, a paint roller carried by.the arm, means for advancing the arm and roller towardthe article, aguide rail mounted on the arm, a stationary abutment, and means forresiliently maintaining the guide rail in contact with the abutment toguide the roller through a pre-' determined path into contact with thearticleat the desired angle. v

6. An apparatus for painting bands-on saucers. bowls, plates and similararticles, including a pivotally mounted arm, a paint roller carried bythe arm, means for advancing the arm and roller toward the article, aguide rail mounted on the arm, a stationary abutment with which theguide rail cooperates to direct the roller through a predetermined pathinto contact with the article at the desired angle, and means forvarying the angle of contact. 3

'7. An apparatus for painting bands on saucers, bowls, plates andsimilar articles, including an arm, a paint roller and'paint reservoircarried by the arm, means for causing the roller to travel through apredetermined path into contact with the article at the desired angle,means for resiliently maintaining the roller in contact with thearticle, and means for varying the time the roller is in contact withthe article.

8. An apparatus for painting bands on saucers, bowls, plates and similararticles, including a chuck adapted to carry the article, means forrotating the chuck, an arm, a paint roller carried by the arm, means forcausing the roller to travel through a predetermined path into contactwith the article at the desired angle, means for varying the time theroller is in contact with the article, and means for varying the speedof rotation of the article.

9. An apparatus for painting bands on ceramic articles including achuck, means for rotating the chuck, vacuum means for maintaining thearticle on the chuck, a paint roller, means for moving the roller intocontact with the article, a gravity the article, said trough shaped tosupport the article in a rearwardly inand means for breaking thevacarticle into the trough. RALPH PETERS

